


Belief Is A Powerful Thing

by SpiderButler



Series: Angels Fall Without You There [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Outlaw Believer, Swan Believer, Wooden Believer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-29
Updated: 2015-11-29
Packaged: 2018-05-04 00:12:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5312354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiderButler/pseuds/SpiderButler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>August Booth believes in Emma Swan</p>
            </blockquote>





	Belief Is A Powerful Thing

**Author's Note:**

> Again, if you'd like to see this from another characters POV (it can be pretty much anyone) let me know in the comments :)
> 
> Enjoy x
> 
> (The works in this series cross over, but each one contains its own scenes as well)

August Booth is really starting to wonder what he’s done to deserve this life. First he’s made out of wood, then he becomes a real boy, and just when life is beginning to settle down again with the rightful queen on the throne, the Evil Queen has to come along and ruin it all, and get him stuck in a wardrobe and sent to another land. Granted, the next problems he encountered were his own fault, leaving baby Emma and running away and in consequence turning back to wood and _oh God what is his life_. Just when it was all settling down _again_ , and August thought he was done jumping back and forth through puberty, along comes the _bloody_ darkness, and Emma’s _bloody_ selflessness, and now he’s being told to look out for his best friend because she’s some crazy potentially homicidal monster (which, for the record, August does not believe). 

It is this stress, building up again in a way that is becoming increasingly familiar, that has him heading to his father’s workshop, desperate to find something to take his mind off the situation. He’s set up a small log in front of him, carving tools to his left, all prepared to create another beautiful statue (which has become the sign Marco has learned to recognise that his son is angst-ridden), when he notices the rose. It’s a delicate flower, pale pink and he observes it for a moment. He is still examining it when his father enters the workshop, carrying a pile of cut wood. 

“People are saying Emma is out.” 

August lifts his head at the name, turning from the flower to the other man. “What’s she doing this time?” 

“Apparently not destroying everything in her path, though Leroy seems sure it’s a trap.” The old man laughs, and August smiles a little. The dwarf’s permanent state of paranoia surprises exactly no one anymore. “The word ‘angel’ is being thrown around a lot, apparently she’s just walking the streets, in a white dress, a bouquet of roses in one hand, dagger in the other.” At this, August frowns. Emma has not been remotely angelic in a long time, and this behaviour is not normal for a Dark One, _or_ the woman he knows. “She was seen at the graveyard apparently, one of the dwarves thought she was a ghost.” Marco’s eyes finally fall on the flower in his son’s hand. “Who’s that from?” 

August doesn’t reply, looking at it himself and it doesn’t take long for him or his father to make the connection. 

“A bouquet of roses.” Marco says, understanding in his voice, and August looks at him with question in his eyes. “You don’t have to ask my permission.” His father’s smile is kind. “Go.” 

The old man leaves the workshop as August drops the rose back onto the table. He mounts his bike in one swift, practiced movement, and it roars to life. He shoots off, heading straight for the graveyard. 

He pauses outside it for a moment, spotting the roses on the two graves. He doesn’t know one, but recognises the other to be Baelfire’s. He’s visited it enough times to memorise its location. He quickly turns his bike back the way he came, heading straight to the mayor’s house. He knocks on the door hard, not entirely surprised to find that it is Snow White who opens the door. 

“August,” she smiles kindly, but he can see the exhaustion in her eyes. “Come in.” She steps out the way, and August enters, looking around. The woman leads him to the group of people gathered in one room. Gold and Belle are stood together, and Henry is stood between David and Regina. Robin Hood has his arm around Regina, who looks annoyed, but August is particularly good at reading people (he’s had years of practice with lying) and can see that it is worry pinching between her eyebrows. They all look to him when he enters, varying degrees of surprise on their faces. 

“I assume the puppet was left a gift as well then.” Regina raises an eyebrow, and August notices the roses in each of the members of the groups’ hands. 

“Yeah,” August nods. “And she’s left one on Neal’s grave and on another close by.” 

“Graham.” Regina says, and there is something sad about the way she says it that August thinks sounds like regret? The name seems to make sense to the others though and there is a distinct lowering in the mood of the already despondent room. 

“I saw a few others on our way here,” Belle says. “At Granny’s, and in the road.” 

“So why is Emma Swan leaving roses around the town?” 

“It destroys the theory that they’re _for_ people.” Gold says, and August wonders when he joined the hero gang in an actually _helpful_ way (he hasn’t quite forgiven him for trying to set him on fire). 

“No, they were definitely left for us- why else would she have left ones outside here, and in the carpenter’s workshop. None of her memories here are happy, every time she’s come to my door it’s been to fight with me.” Regina crosses her arms, her posture tense. 

“We should ask her.” Henry says. All eyes turn to him, the boy seemingly having remained silent throughout the meeting. 

“Henry, you know Emma isn’t the most forthcoming person when it comes to honest answers right now.” 

Henry shrugs off his mother’s words. “Does anyone else have a better idea?” 

August is impressed by the way the boy stands his ground. “I’m with Henry.” Henry shoots him a grateful smile. When the rest of the people around him still look unconvinced, Henry continues. 

“Who are the only two people Mom would let in her house? Me and Killian. One of those two is currently unavailable for God knows how long, so that leaves me as pretty much your only hope.” August smiles at the boy. “She helped me find Violet’s horse- albeit she also broke my heart- but she did that to release Merlin, and while that’s not how I would have liked it to go down, everything she’s done has been for a theoretically heroic reason.” 

Regina sighs but nods. “Very well. We’ll need a locator spell to find her though.” 

This time it’s the Prince who steps forward. “We still have most of her stuff in the loft.” 

Regina nods. “Go get something of hers, and bring it over. I’ll set up the necessary things here.” Her parents nod, and they both exit the room, the sound of the front door closing reaching the group a moment later. 

Regina doesn’t say anything, just strides out of the room. Gold and Belle follow her, to lend their experience and knowledge of magic August assumes. That leaves Robin, August and Henry, the latter flopping onto the sofa, his head falling into his hands. 

“You ok, Henry?” Robin crouches down in front of the boy, concern written across his face. This man is a good father to Henry, especially now that Henry has lost both his other father figures (one is dead, and the other one is pretty much MIA now that his Dark One status has been revealed). August sits next to the boy, offering his support as well. 

“I just can’t shake this feeling that something bad is going to happen.”

Robin squeezes the boy’s knee and stands from his position in front of him to take a seat on Henry’s other side. 

“Have you ever seen your mother fail? We’ll find her, and everything will be fine.” 

“And you need to have faith in Emma as well Henry- you know more than anyone how much of a struggle life has been for her, and yet she’s got through it all. It will be ok.” 

Henry gives the two men a weak smile and then looks up. The other two follow his gaze to see Regina returning with a small vial in hand, Gold and Belle right behind her. “It’s ready.” Regina gives Henry her ‘loving mother smile’, and it seems to calm Henry, his posture relaxing a little. 

A moment later, Charming and Snow White return with Emma’s red leather jacket in hand. The sight of it tightens August’s chest. God, she has come far.

Regina takes it and heads outside, onto the porch. The group follow her, and they watch as she pours the potion over the jacket. She lets go of it and it remains hovering in the air for a moment, before floating away. Immediately, everyone rushes to their cars, and August is on his bike in seconds. He leads the way, easily following the flying clothing. He barely takes in his surroundings, focusing solely on it, but the longer the journey takes, the more curious he becomes and he sneaks a look around him. Realising they’re getting closer and closer to the town line, with no sign of stopping, August swears. He’s growing more and more fearful of what he will find there. Why would Emma go there with any form of positive intentions? Even if Emma has crossed the line unharmed, the locator spell will not be able to follow her passed it, and then they’ve potentially lost her forever. 

“Come on, Emma.” He mutters, pressing down on the accelerator. “Please, please be ok.” 

His thoughts seem to have followed a similar track as the others, as the cars around him speed up as well. August focuses on the jacket, willing it to get him there fast enough. 

He almost breathes a sigh of relief when he sees the two figures standing at the town line. He’s not really surprised to see the Captain there. The pirate may think that he has changed drastically, but August knows that the part of him that is still real yearns for Emma Swan’s safety just as much as the rest of them if not more, his presence here proof enough. 

Emma is watching the man in leather intently, but neither of them speak. August takes in the dagger, and panic rises in him. The jacket falls at her feet as he climbs off his bike, and takes careful steps forward, until he is level with Hook. He hears the others getting out of their cars, but keeps his eyes on Emma. 

“Emma.” The word comes from his right, Snow White, with tears in her eyes. “Please.” 

“This is not the way forward.” The Prince speaks, and August can hear the desperation, fear, and above all, pain in the words. 

“There _is_ no other way forward.” Emma’s voice is lost, but determined. “I have fulfilled the fate I was always going to have. We always knew the Saviour didn’t get a happy ending- every time it got close, it was ripped away again.” 

Her eyes flick between the faces of the four people who were supposed to be her happy ending, her boyfriend, her son and her parents. August knows her pain, feels it. He lost his father too, and he hated himself for a long time for betraying both him and Emma. He knows how she feels at the loss of her family. 

“Emma, I felt the same- every time it looked like I’d reached it, it was gone in a heartbeat. But look at me now. I have a son and I have Robin and a real family.” Regina tries, but August knows Emma better, and already knows how she will react. 

“Because I gave it to you!” Emma’s voice is quiet but desperate. “All of you, I gave you _all_ your happy endings! _I_ broke the curse, _I_ found Robin, _I even made Gold a hero!_ ” August breathes a little easier as the dagger drops back to her side. “This is me dealing with the problem. I’m being the Saviour, one last time.” Emma says, lifting the dagger again. 

“Mom,” Henry says. Emma’s hand freezes, and her grip on the weapon loosens the smallest amount. “We don’t know what will happen.” 

“I know, kid, but I have to try. Gold and Killian will understand. The darkness, it changes the way you see the world, it changes what you think is right. I can’t save this town, not properly, until I remove the problem.” 

Gold opens his mouth, but Emma is faster. “You do understand though- you thought what you were doing was right, and yet you lost Belle, lost the entire town for it.” The man closes his mouth again. August assumes this was during his time as a boy (again). 

Emma’s arm raises, and August finally steps forward. He’s not going down without a fight. He owes her this and so much more. 

“Emma.” Her eyes move to him, and August keeps his voice low, careful of the wilderness behind her eyes. “You really have gone far. I thought you’d made a big change when you were trying to find the author, but look at you now. The woman who wouldn’t believe is barely even a distant memory.” She smiles a little, but it’s devoid of any real humour. “You didn’t bring me my happy ending- in fact I almost took away yours, and you weren’t even old enough to remember it. I found my happy ending on my own, returned to my father even though he couldn’t remember me, helped- or at least tried to help- you to believe. Now, you are the Saviour. _And_ ,” he says forcefully when Emma tries to disagree, “you remain to be, even with this curse. So, I won’t try to stop you, but I will try to appeal to you as the Saviour. We know, that when a person stabs the Dark One with the dagger, the darkness is transferred to them. Now, if the Dark One stabs _themselves_ , the darkness has nowhere to go. It will flood out of you, and then it will attack. You became the Dark One to save everyone else from it. Are you really going to subject them to it again?” Emma shows no sign of speaking, but her hand has dropped to her side again. “This woman here,” he motions vaguely to where he knows Belle is standing, praying for her support, “is proof that the Dark One can find love.” 

Belle inches forward, her steps careful, but she comes to stand next to him nonetheless. “It wasn’t easy, Emma.” She says. “But, I believed in him, I believed he could love me enough, and so I loved him too.” 

“But he couldn’t!” Emma’s voice is still desperate, and her clutch on the dagger is hard, clinging to it. “He hurt you, he chose power over you, and you were the _only_ person he loved. I have so many people I could hurt, so many I _have_.” 

This time it is Gold who steps forward, and August watches carefully. This man could do as much damage as he could saving. “That is true, Miss Swan. However, you have proven, time and time again, that you possess a much greater amount of strength than I. And I didn’t have a cause as strong as you.” His eyes flicker to Hook for a moment. 

August is about to speak again, sensing Emma relenting slowly, when the last person he expects opens his mouth. Still, if anyone can talk Emma down from a metaphorical ledge, it’s Killian Jones, so August doesn’t stop him. 

“Swan.” August notes the shock in Emma’s eyes at his words. He makes a mental note to find out what happened between them. “If you do this, there are two options. First, you leave this town without a Saviour, without someone who will truly sacrifice themselves for the good of everyone in this town. The second option, you do that, and the darkness escapes you without a vessel to go to. Where do you think it will go?” Hook gestures to himself. “It will go to the darkest soul it can find, and what’s darker than a Dark One.” 

“I still believe that you are strong enough to fight it, Killian.” Emma’s eyes show a new kind of determination now, and her voice is stronger, but also more measured. “You will be able to conquer it, with or without me.” 

“There is absolutely no proof of that.” Hook raises an eyebrow, and August admits that he hasn’t even tried to fight it. Emma still looks stubborn, but she doesn’t interrupt. Again, August senses something big has happened, which, really he probably should have realised when Captain Hook became a Dark One without the previous one dying. He’d just assumed it was a (weird) couple thing. “You’ve shown you want to be good. You’ve shown just how far you’re willing to go to do that. You’ve proved yourself, so why shouldn’t your family love you.” 

“It will be difficult.” Regina says, and August can feel Emma’s resolve weakening. The exhaustion she feels is clear, and he can use that to persuade her. “I know how difficult it is to gain forgiveness. You have done things that were… not good. But, we’re all willing to try.” 

“We all _want_ to try.” Charming says. 

“We love you.” Her mother says, and Emma’s eyes are glassy with unshed tears. 

“Please, Emma,” August steps toward her, careful for any sign of danger, but he doesn’t falter. “Give me the dagger.” Emma’s grip is so weak it barely hangs in her hand, and it is easy for him to take it, the metal sliding from her fingers. “Walk with me.” She’s almost lifeless, following him obediently and it pains August to see her like this, so vulnerable. “Let’s go home.” He says and Emma freezes at the word. “To the loft.” He adds, firmly. He’s got this far, and he will not stop now. 

Emma’s eyes are full of fear when they look to her parents. She’s so scared of rejection and August wishes for the millionth time since he found her that he had never left, that she had never had to think that unconditional love was a thing of fiction. Her parents’ smiles are nervous but real, and they nod. Emma shoulders relax the tiniest amount, and August begins walking again, slowly, careful not to put any pressure on the woman next to him. When they reach Henry the boy takes her hand. Emma looks at him with shock, but he looks steadfastly ahead, as if it is the most natural thing in the world, and August smiles, remembering Emma’s story of the first time they held hands, when Henry was still a little boy and he had a book clutched in one arm as they walked away from his castle. August knows why it’s so special to her, that it was the first time she really felt loved by anyone, and it was the moment Emma decided she would fight for this boy through anything. 

He is more surprised when the pirate comes to walk on her other side. He watches them, how they don’t touch, and there is definite tension there, the darkness clearly bubbling under Hook’s skin, but he doesn’t move to harm Emma. Instead he walks so close to her that they are almost touching, and August can see how it affects them, can see how the proximity relaxes them and wonders if they even notice it. They walk all the way to the Royal’s apartment, no one speaking, except for Henry, who occasionally murmurs things to his mother that make her smile. 

Hook disappears when they get to the door of the apartment, but there is a smile on Emma’s face, as if she knows a secret, and she looks almost proud. Once inside, Emma goes straight to her bed, and collapses on it, asleep in moments. Gold smiles knowingly and August wonders if there’s some private, Dark One joke going on. 

“You don’t sleep in the beginning.” He explains to the room. “You have to get used to the darkness before you can control it enough to do that.” 

The Queen and the Thief are the first to go, soon followed by Gold and Belle. August stays, and he and Henry sit on the sofa, descending into hushed conversations about trying to get Emma to believe (and how goddamn stubborn she had been), and August had forgotten how much he liked to talking to the boy. He holds so many of the qualities of both his father and his mother, and some from his other parental figures that have filtered in along the way. Emma’s parents join them after a while, having made tea and put baby Neal to bed. 

Their conversation is quiet, all on high alert for any noise from Emma, but there is a genuine smile on her family’s face, and there’s still a lot to overcome, but August has no doubt that this ragtail little (section of a town-size) family will get through it. He promises to drop in again tomorrow, to check on Emma, but when he leaves there is a lightness to his step of renewed hope. 

* * *

When he returns the next morning, Emma is sat on a stool in the kitchen. Her back is ramrod straight, and her sips at the cup in her hands is robotic. She turns when he gets close to her, her father, who had let him in, standing a safe distance behind him- trying not to crowd them, but unwilling to leave them alone. August doesn’t know which of them he’s protecting. 

“It’s ok, Dad.” Emma says to him, and David seems to both tense and relax at the last word, but he nods, offers a small, strained smile, and leaves August and Emma alone. 

“They’re trying to work out how to be around me. They’re scared of me.” August opens his mouth to protest but Emma gives him a look. “There’s no point pretending they’re not. Everyone in this town is scared of me, and for good reason.” 

August hesitates, but nods. “I guess that’s true.” He settles himself on the stool next to Emma. She flicks her wrist casually and a cup of steaming coffee appears in front of him. He forces down the surprise, wills it not to show on his face, and takes the cup, sipping it. They sit in silence for a while, until Emma speaks again. 

“So is this a social call or…?” 

“Just a social call. Realised I haven’t seen a good friend of mine in a while, so I thought I’d drop in.” 

Emma’s smile is small but genuine, and it softens her face. August looks over the rest of her appearance. She wears a simple black shirt and black jeans. He hair is in a loose ponytail, the crystal white strands swaying with her every movement. 

“So you’re keeping the hair then.” 

Emma looks at it like she hasn’t seen it before and shrugs. “Haven’t decided.” She tosses her hair and it turns golden again. “This seems a bit mundane now.” 

August smiles, and this is good, this is normal. “Maybe you should go blue, or pink, or something.” 

Emma laughs, and August hears the murmuring of her parents and Henry in the other room stop. If Emma notices she shows no sign of it, turning her head back to her drink, her hair turning white again as it follows the movement. 

“So,” August takes a deep breath, bracing himself. “The roses.” 

Emma looks at him, but shows no sign of danger, so August sits patiently, waiting. 

She must sense that he won’t let this drop, as she sighs, placing her drink down again. “They’re important to me. I wanted to leave something with the people I care about, something to remind them of who I was.” 

August nods, choosing not to question her further. He’s got more than he expected already, anyway. 

“You’re ok, right?” He questions, and he surprises himself with how much he sounds like a small boy. 

Emma lips curl up the tiniest amount, and she nods. “I’m ok.” 

Her mother steps into the room then, a sense of forced relaxedness about the way she walks, but both Emma and August pretend not to notice it. “Would you like to stay for lunch, August?” 

August looks at Emma, silently asking if it’s ok, and she nods, gives him a ‘why are you asking me’ look that’s so pre-darkness Emma that August grins. “Sure, if that’s alright.” 

The dark-haired woman nods and goes to the kitchen, rummaging around. Henry joins them a moment later, and hops onto the stool on Emma’s other side. “I’m challenging you to a rematch.” 

“A rematch?” Emma raises an eyebrow at her son. 

“I got that new game remember, and you beat me on level six.” The boy’s words are reluctant and August smiles at the image of mother and son. “I’ve been waiting months for a rematch.” 

Emma laughs again, louder than before, and the tension in the room seems to melt away. 

“Mom,” Henry’s voice is more careful now, and Emma offers him a reassuring smile. August knows she’s still nervous around him, after she broke his heart (both personally and through others). 

“Yeah?” 

“We’re going to get Killian back right?” 

If Emma is affected by the question she doesn’t show it, simply takes it in her stride. “Of course. Operation Light Hook begins today.” 

Henry’s smile mirrors his mothers, small but warm, and August believes in the power this family wields, simply by their strength and lover for each other. He is immediately sure that this family will not fail. He believes in them, and he believes in Emma Swan. 

After all, she’s never let him down before.


End file.
